Review: CompareMe Shopping Utility

Overview

I think I've mentioned this before, but I'm a sucker for saving money wherever I can. It's not that I'm cheap. It's more like a game to me (kinda like trying to beat my previous best time on my commute to work). I love getting the most bang for my dollar. That being the case, I like to do the math when I shop. "Which is the better deal: the 5-gallon sized bucket of yellow mustard for $110 or the 3-pack of the 6oz picnic size for $5.68?" With CompareMe, the answer is simple, and the only question you may be left to ask is what in the name of Zeus's Beard you're gonna do with five gallons of mustard. CompareMe is easy to use. You simply plug in information about Product A and plug in the info for Product B, hit the compare button and CompareMe does all the math for you to let you know which product is the better deal.

Features

• Straightforward UI; just plug in the numbers ad go • Supports any unit of measurement for surface, length, volume or mass. • Set discounts to include in price comparisons • Drag and drop text functionality to prevent typing info multiple times

The Breakdown

CompareMe is definitely a handy tool and shopping companion. Sure, you could do all the math yourself when comparing products, but it would take much longer and hey, you have an iPhone. Stuff like this is what makes the iPhone the Swiss Army Knife of information. The Good: CompareMe has a very simplified user interface basically consisting of two halves of the screen separated by a large "CompareMe" button. Product A's info is at the top of the screen and Product B's info is at the bottom. Entering price info is as simple as tapping numbers on a number pad and selecting the unit of measurement for the product you are comparing. Once you compare a price, CompareMe clearly shows which of the two is the better deal, and even displays an apples-to-apples comparison on how much you save or waste by choosing one product over the other. The user has the option to tap the arrow just to the right of the CompareMe button to get more info about the products, including the unit price (ex: price per ounce). The Bad: CompareMe only allows users to compare two products at a time. Personally, I don't see this as a huge problem, but I'm sure there are scenarios where someone might want to compare more than two products at once but wouldn't be able to. As I mentioned, the UI is simple, so CompareMe won't win any points for being the most visually engaging app in the App Store. CompareMe's color scheme is a bit strange to me too, but as long as it is useful, I can look past that. And useful, it is.

The Verdict

CompareMe doesn't drive me wild or really engage my imagination, but it's handy. It's also $1.99, and I'm not sure if it's handy enough to justify being a $2 app. Honestly, I know it makes comparison shopping easier, but even as frugal as I am, I'd probably never pay $2 for CompareMe. You might, though. If you prefer not to do your own math at the grocery store or warehouse club, then this could be a great app to keep handy...buried on a back page of your phone to be called up by the spotlight function when needed. If you're not much of the comparison shopping, penny-pinching type, then your money would be more well-spent elsewhere.

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